Modric wins Ballon d’Or, ends Messi and Ronaldo duopoly

Modric wins Ballon d’Or, ends Messi and Ronaldo duopoly

FOOTBALL- Croatia’s Luka Modric has ended ten year long duopoly of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the coveted Ballon d’Or award.

He was declared this year’s Ballon d’Or winner at a ceremony in Paris on Monday evening. Modric helped Croatia to a first World Cup final in 2018.

Ronaldo came second, Atletico Madrid frontman Antoine Griezmann and PSG attacker Kylian Mbappe were third and fourth and Lionel Messi was a distant fifth.

Modric dedicated the award to all the other players who have missed out in the 10 years dominated by Messi and Ronaldo.

It was also the first time a female player was presented with the award. Lyon and Norway forward Ada Hegerberg was presented with the female Ballon d’Or award. Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe won the youth prize.

Ballon d’Or is voted by journalists from around the world, with one representative per nation.